To facilitate ready understanding of this invention, it is discussed herein particularly as it relates to locking mechanisms for pipe flanges. It should be borne in mind, however, that this locking mechanism may be provided for securing other mechanical objects as well.
Many pipelines are assembled by interconnecting sections of pipe by means of bolted flanges. Flanged pipe sections typically incorporate pipe flanges which are welded at each end of pipe sections of desirable length. Assembly of the flanged pipe sections is accomplished by means of bolts or studs which extend through registering bolt or stud openings formed in the flanges. The bolts or studs are extended through the aligned openings of the flanges and nuts are assembled to the threads of the bolts or studs and are rotated to draw the flanges into sealed assembly. Typically, pipe flanges are also formed to define circular seal grooves which receive a ring gasket between the flanges to thus establish a seal between them. Typically the bolts or studs are tightenend sufficiently to bring the flanges into sealed assembly with the ring gasket, leaving a certain amount of standoff between the flanges.
In many cases, assembled flow lines control the flow of liquid or gaseous materials that are potentially harmful. In such case, it is extremely important that service personnel or unauthorized persons be incapable of inadvertently disassembling a bolted pipe flange unless the flow line is rendered safe. It is desirable, therefore, to ensure that certain flanged flow lines not be capable of unauthorized disassembly so that workers may be protected from the hazards of potentially harmful fluids. By ensuring that the flanges of the pipeline are locked in assembly and by providing only authorized personnel with tools to unlock the flanges, it may be reasonably assured that the pipeline is capable of disassembly only by authorized personnel.
In many cases, flanged pipelines are utilized for transporting valuable liquid and gaseous materials. Theft of these materials can be accomplished quite easily if a flanged flow line is disassembled by unauthorized personnel. It is also desirable, therefore, to provide means for ensuring that pipelines remain locked in assembly to prevent theft or unauthorized release of the constituents transported by the pipeline.